Senate leaders questioned the House Republicans’ answer to a transportation infrastructure package, that Senate Democrats unveiled last week as the second piece of President Obama’s jobs-creation package. In a letter sent to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL), Senator Boxer (D-CA) questioned the differences in the funding numbers that he proposes. This
The following news articles have great relevance to the current situation at Amtrak. This page will continue to be updated with the important articles that effect Amtrak and the TCU members working for Amtrak. Democrats Hope Amtrak Ridership Record Stalls Rail Privatization Efforts – CQ Quarterly October 2011House Committees 2012 Budget Would End Most Amtrak
We are approaching one of the most critical elections for American workers in our nation’s history. Anyone who doubts that should talk to public workers in Wisconsin, Ohio and a host of other states where anti-worker Republicans have captured statehouses and state legislatures. Can you imagine a Wisconsin-type Governor in the White House? With a
The House Committee on Appropriations’ Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee recently passing the fiscal year 2012 budget, which would effectively eliminate state-supported and long-distance Amtrak train service. In light of this, TCU and Rail Labor have partnered with the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) and other groups to help educate the riding public
The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction—or “Super Committee”—is working on Capitol Hill to craft a bill aimed at slashing the U.S. budget deficit by $1.5 trillion or more by 2021. The U.S. Congress must pass a deficit reduction bill by January 2012 or there will be mandatory reductions across the board. Several proposals are
Amtrak, highway and transit programs would take a big hit in the proposed FY 2012 Transportation-HUD spending bill released Wednesday by House appropriators. Overall, the bill would provide $217 million less than current levels and $19.8 billion less than Obama requested. While the Transportation Department would receive a modest increase in discretionary funds, Amtrak, highway
WE ARE FACING THE MOST SERIOUS THREAT TO AMTRAK’S EXISTENCE IN MANY YEARS! Congressman John Mica, a Florida Republican, has opposed Amtrak’s existence for more than fifteen years. But now, because the Republicans won the House of Representatives in the last election, he has become Chairman of one of the most powerful committees in Congress.
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce recently continued its partisan attack on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by approving a bill to prohibit the NLRB from doing its job of protecting workers and their right to bargain collectively. The so-called “Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act” (HR 2587) prohibits the NLRB from
Twenty senators seek $2.2 billion for Amtrak United States Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and 19 other senators sent a letter to the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development making a strong funding request for $2.2 billion for Amtrak’s intercity passenger-rail service in the fiscal-year 2012. In the letter the senators requested full funding
TCU President Bob Scardelletti testified before the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) hearing on the current state of competition in the railroad industry. The hearing was held over a two day span on June 22nd and 23rd featured a variety of speakers. President Scardelletti used his allotted time to make sure the STB knew that any
